


Lucky Rabbit Foot

by wisia



Series: Luck & Dice [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: College, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 17:27:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2076723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s finals week at MIT, and Rhodey has a lucky rabbit foot. Tony didn’t. Because he didn’t need luck. Really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lucky Rabbit Foot

**Author's Note:**

> Ah…I still didn’t get into their actual relationship. But I think I’ll probably turn this into a series. Because there’s still some stuff I want to write for this.

“Good luck,” Rhodey said to him during finals week, and Tony snorted. Because that was utterly ridiculous.

                “Luck?” He said and gestured to himself dramatically. “I don’t need luck. I’m Tony fucking Stark.”

                Because Tony was a genius. And even at fourteen, Tony was first and foremost a man of science. Counted in probability, chances and percentages. Numbers ruled and guided him. Were even a fairer friend.

                Rhodey sighed, and there was pinched look on his face as if what he found whatever Tony said to be displeasing. For a second, Tony wanted to correct that but he squashed the feeling down. Rhodey was probably just jealous that Tony didn’t need luck.

                “Seriously,” Tony forced himself to say and fill the silence. “I don’t need luck. I can do Professor Wu’s test with my eyes closed. And finish in 15 minutes.”

                “Just take the luck,” Rhodey groaned and punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Take it as the well meaning wish it is as you’re supposed to do. Like a normal person.”

                And that, that was just beyond silly that Tony had to make a face.

                “I-I’m normal,” Tony spluttered. “Relatively.”

                “Right,” Rhodey said, skeptical. As if he wasn’t hanging around one of the smartest people in the world.

                “I am,” Tony insisted. Then he paused. Because Rhodey just told him good luck, and even if Tony didn’t believe in luck because of science—well, it seemed like something he ought to do right?

“Wait—what, what about you?” Tony stumbled over the words a bit and looked at the ground so he could concentrate on getting the words out. “Do you, uh, do you want any luck?”

                He felt as if he committed some kind of faux pas, but he couldn’t be sure. Was that something people say to each other on a regular basis? Tony wouldn’t know. There was never really anyone to say it to him. Well, there was Jarvis but Tony wasn’t going to count that. He never said it back to Jarvis if there was even a reason to say it. Also, this was veering into way too pathetic territory even for him. Not Jarvis. Jarvis was awesome. But this weird luck thingy.

                Rhodey groaned, and Tony peeked back up to see Rhodey with his eyes closed.

                “So, you don’t want luck?” Tony asked, unsure of what to make of that. He messed up, didn’t he?

                “No,” Rhodey said.

                “Um…” Tony still didn’t know what he was supposed to do.

                “I’ll be fine because I got my lucky rabbit foot,” Rhodey said and Tony blinked. It took barely any seconds much less milliseconds to process that.

                “Lucky rabbit foot? You have a lucky rabbit foot?” Tony immediately pushed into Rhodey’s personal space. He had heard of them, but he never saw one. It was also better than trying to figure out if saying good luck was appropriate or not.

“Let me see.” Tony tried to feel Rhodey’s pockets, sticking his hand in the one of them. Rhodey yelped in surprise, but Tony was determined and that pocket sadly had only a bunch of coins. Tony was just going to guess that it was in one of them because today was an exam day, and that meant Rhodey had to be carrying it around. Rhodey pushed him back, keeping him an arm’s length away with one hand.

                “Tony,” Rhodey said, exasperated.

                “Come on, sourpatch. Don’t be a downer.” Tony was still trying to feel for it.

                “If you calm down, I’ll take it out,” Rhodey reasoned, prying Tony’s hands away from his pocket. Tony stopped his wild arm movements.

                “But it’s more fun to take it out myself,” Tony protested. It really was. Also had the additional benefit of not so secretly patting Rhodey’s ass.

                “You just want to feel my ass,” Rhodey snorted. “Which you are too young for. And no. It’s right there on your face. Tony. Seriously, quit trying to touch my ass.”

                Tony frowned, hand on Rhodey’s stomach. He wasn’t that readable, was he? But Rhodey took out the rabbit foot, carefully passing it to Tony and that made Tony shut up.

                “Here. Don’t drop it now.”

Rhodey gave it to him as if it wasn’t the all precious item it must have been for him to have it. That made Tony feel a little funny inside. He cradled the item carefully in his hand. It was well worn. Soft too when Tony rubbed one finger across the fur.

                “How long have you had this?”

                Rhodey shrugged. “Don’t know. Feels like I had it since forever. Got it from my gran, actually.”

                “I see,” Tony said. He didn’t have any grandparents that were still alive.

                “Uh huh,” Rhodey said, holding his palm wide open for Tony to give it back.

                “Do you need to do anything with it?” Tony asked as he passed it back.

                “I don’t think so. It’s not like dice blowing,” Rhodey said casually.

                “You said you wouldn’t mention that!” Tony flushed, heat creeping onto his neck. Because that was half a year ago when Tony asked Rhodey to blow his dice since nobody else would.

 “On pain of death!” Tony added, just to make it clear.

                “I wouldn’t if you didn’t keep asking me. It’s not even a secret. Everyone knows I blow on them for you. Wait a second.” Rhodey looked perplexed. “I thought you said you didn’t need luck. Why do you need me then?”

                “I don’t,” Tony said. But because it was Rhodey, Tony elaborated. “It’ll look weird if I have no one on my side, and you’re on my side.”

                “Oh,” Rhodey said, eyes looking a bit too wide as if he felt something for Tony. Because really that was a bit too sincere. So, Tony rambled on.

                “Besides, nobody wants to play cards with me. They say I count. Which, I wouldn’t. I mean, I can count cards but I—no, who am I kidding? I would totally count the cards.”

                “Geez, slow down before you hurt yourself,” Rhodey laughed and ruffled Tony’s hair fondly.

                “So you got to keep blowing my dices for luck,” Tony continued. “Not because I need it because it’s not really going to help when it’s all random with dice.”

                “Right,” Rhodey said. “Well, I think—oh god. What time is it?”

                Rhodey shoved his rabbit foot into his pocket and scrambled for his backpack and books.

                “Damnit. I’m going to be late for my final. You distracted me!”

                “And you enjoy it,” Tony yelled back as Rhodey headed for the door.

                “Shut up,” Rhodey hollered. “And good luck.”

                “I don’t need luck!” Tony hesitated. “Good luck, Rhodey!”

                And if Tony started carrying a pair of dice around to his exams in the future, the ones that Rhodey would blow on every time for him when he played with the other guys. Well, no one knew. He didn’t need luck.

 


End file.
